Suction cleaner



, Patented Sept. 20, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE e BICHEY L. SWARTZ, OF CANTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE HOOVER COMPANY, 01 NORTE' CANTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO SUCTION CLEANER Application filed. May 28, 1930. Serial No. 456,329.

The present invention relates to suction cleaners and particularly to positive agitation suction cleaners.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and novel suction cleaner construction. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a simplified and efficient agitator construction for suction cleaners. Other and more s ecific objects will appear upon a reading 0 the specification taking into consideration the drawings annexed.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a side view of a suction cleaner constructed in accordance with the present invention with certain parts broken away.

Fig. 2 is a rear view of a suction cleaner with certain parts broken away. Y

Fig. 3 is a cross section upon the line 33 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings, the reference character 1 indicates a suction cleaner constructed in accordance'with the present invention. The

cleaner comprises a motor casing 2 enclosing the driving motor, which is not shown,

and a fan casing 3 forming the fan chamber 4 within which is positioned the suction fan 5 carried by the motor shaft 6. Attached 'to the forward face of the fan casing 3 is the suction nozzle 7 provided with the nozzle lips 8 and 9. Surrounding the mouth of the nozzle 7 is the furniture guard 10, as in the usual cleaner. Handle bail 12 is pivotally mounted upon the motor casing 2 at the pivot point 13 and the entire structure is-supported above the surface undergoing cleaning, by the front supporting wheels 14, 14 and by the rear supporting Wheel 15. The aforedescribed parts are present in the usual suction cleaner construction and their arrangement forms no part of the present invention.

Rotatably positioned within the nozzle mouth and carried by the bearings 16, 16 therein. is the agitator supporting member 17. Carried by the supporting member 17 within the nozzle 7, with its lower edge extending to the plane of the nozzle lips 8 Positioned upon the member 18 and extending rearwardly therefrom is the socket memher 20 within which is pivoted, upon the pin 21,'the actuating arm 22. The inner surface 23 of the socket 20 is sufliciently greater in width than the member 22, see Fig. 3, that said member is permitted an angular movement in a horizontal plane therein. The arm 22 is closely adjacent the surface 23 of the socket 20 at its upper and lower surfaces and movement in a vertical plane relative thereto is prohibited. I v

The arm 22 extends through the rear wall of the nozzle 7 at the openin 24 therein and carries the inner race of the bearing 25 at its end. The outer race of the bearing 25 is po sitioned within and carriedby the housing member 26 which is itself fixedly attached the self-aligning type and permits the shaft 22 to be angularly moved therein. A protecting housing 28 is provided at the rear of the nozzle 7 within which is positioned the aforedescribed bearing 25 and housing 26together with the end of the shaft 22. Connected to the inner wall of the housing 28.by securing means29 is the fiexible'protecting member 30 which is secured at its opposite end to the socket 20 of the agitating finger 18. The protective member 30 entirely encloses the outer end of the arm 22,-and, being-sealed to the housing 28, entirely seals the opening 24: in the nozzle 7 and prevents leakage of air therethrough. 1

Carried by the housing 28 at its rear face is the bearing 31 which supports the driving shaft 27 at its forward end. The shaft extends rearwardly from the bearing 31 through theenclosing housing 32 to the rear supporting bearing 33. The housing 32 is supportedat its forward end by the extended wall of the fan casing 3 and at its rear end by the frame 34 which includes the bearing 33 and also serves as a mounting for the rear wheel 15. The driving shaft 27 extends through the bearing 33 and can .es upon its projecting end the pulley '35 which is connected by means of the drivingbelt 36 to the driving pulley 37 carried by the projecting end of the motor shaft 6 at the rear of the motor casing 2. 'An enclosing cover 38 istor by means of the driving belt 36. At its nozzle end the shaft 27 rotates the off-center housing 26 with its enclosed bearing 25.

Bearing 25 carries the rear end of the shaft 22 with it in its circular orbit and as said shaft is raised and'lowered it pivots the agi tating member 18 about the supporting member. The motion of the shaft 22 in a horizontal plane is permitted unhindered through its pivotal relation with the coupling 20 at the agitating finger end. The agitating finger 18 receives an alternate rotary motion and serves to agitate and flex the surface covering asit contacts therewith, and dislodge the embedded foreign particles, said surface covering being lifted against the nozzle lips 8 and 9 by action of the suction fan in the operation of a cleaner. The smooth hard metallic end 19 of the finger 18 serves to prevent ury of any nature to the surface covering over which it reciprocates during operation. The action of the agitating finger is such that the embedded dirt is loosened and its removal by the flow of air thereto, and means to rock said agitating finger-member about its pivot. s

5. In a suction cleaner a suction nozzle nozzle lips on said nozzle an elongated rigid agitating element positioned within said nozzle and extending thereacross in the plane of the nozzle lips and means to positively actuate saidelement across a surface covering between said lips. 1 6. In a suction cleaner, a nozzle having lips defininga suction intake, a rigid agitating member in' said nozzle, means pivotally supporting said member, and means to rotate said member past the surface covering between said lips in alternate directions.

7. An agitating element for a suction cleaner comprising a rigid body, a narrowed edge forming one side of said body and adapted to act as a surface-covering-piledisturber, means to pivotally mount said body, and means to receive an alternate rotary motion. a

Signed at Canton, in the county of Stark, and State of Ohio, this 21st day of May,

RIOHEY L. SWARTZ.

entering the nozzle lips 8 and 9on its journey I to the an chamber is made possible.

.I claim .1. In a suction cleaner adapted to lift the surface covering under oing cleaning, nozzle lips, a rigid agitating ger-member extending substantially tor the plane of said nozzle lips and means to impart a horizontally reciprocating movement to said agitating finger-member.

2. .In a suction cleaner adapted to lift the" 3. In a suction cleaner adapted to lift the surface covering undergoing cleaning, nozzle lips, an agaitating finger-member extending parallel to said nozzle lips-and reaching substantially into the plane thereof, and means to impart,a back and forth movement to said agitating finger-member.

4. In a suction cleaner a suction nozzle, a substantially .vertical agitating fingermember pivoted in said suction nozzle above the mouth thereof and extending parallel ger extending substantially into the'plane of said nozzle 

